A casino is an establishment that offers various forms of gambling. These include slot machines, table games (like poker, blackjack and roulette), and sometimes entertainment shows. A casino is usually located in a commercial or residential building and offers security and privacy to its patrons. Patrons are required to be of legal age and to comply with gambling laws.
Gambling probably predates recorded history, with primitive protodice (cut knuckle bones) and carved six-sided dice appearing in archaeological digs. However, the modern casino as a place where people can find a variety of ways to gamble under one roof developed only in the 16th century during a gambling craze that spread from Italy to the rest of Europe. In its earliest form, the casino was a small clubhouse for Italian aristocrats, called a ridotto [Source: Schwartz].
Modern casinos make money by charging customers for entrance and providing food and drink, as well as by collecting a percentage of each bet placed on some games. This is known as a vig or rake, and it gives the casino an advantage over its customers that can be lower than two percent of the total amount wagered on a given game.
This advantage, combined with the large amounts of cash handled within a casino, makes it susceptible to theft and cheating by both patrons and staff. Therefore, security measures are important for a casino, and they may include closed circuit television, manned guard stations, and secure entrances.